Gezicht op het Huis ter Nieuburch in Rijswijk 1694 - 1697

Jan van Call's engraving presents us with a bird's-eye view of Huis ter Nieuburch in Rijswijk. The geometric garden is dominated by symmetry and order, embodying mankind’s domination over nature, a recurring theme throughout the ages. The Huis ter Nieuburch, with its orderly façade, reminds me of Andrea Palladio's villas, where classical proportions are used to express harmony and rational control. Think of the Villa Rotonda, a symbol of humanistic ideals and a refuge of balance. This shared motif echoes how architecture has, across time, embodied stability. However, such expressions of power are always challenged. In the subconscious, organic forms constantly re-emerge. This tension is an eternal play, the conscious versus the unconscious, as expressed in Freud’s theories. It reflects our desire for order juxtaposed with the primal allure of chaos. The clouds billowing above this landscape are not mere decoration, but a constant reminder of this eternal tension.